'You are the real wealth, not the 3 million barrels of oil': 10 times UAE leaders expressed hope in the youth

As the search for the next Minister of Youth gets underway, the UAE's leaders have once again proved how much they value the country's young men and women and their contributions towards the nation's development.

On Sunday, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, posted on social media inviting applications from Emiratis to become the country's Minister of Youth.

This is not the first time that the leaders have posted open calls for important positions. In 2016, a similar call to universities resulted in the country appointing Shamma Al Mazrui as the Minister of State for Youth Affairs when she was just 22, making her the youngest minister in the world.

The UAE President, His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, has also spoken extensively about youth's important role in the country's future. His father, the founding father of UAE, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan and his brother, late UAE President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, also pegged youngsters as the drivers of the future.

Here are ten times when UAE leaders pinned their hopes on the youth of the country:

1. "Most of our nation is made up of our youth: our future is in their hands. We are a young country, proud of its youth," - Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum

2. "It is my duty as the leader of the young people of this country to encourage them to work and to exert themselves in order to raise their own standards and to be of service to the country. The individual who is healthy and of a sound mind and body but who does not work commits a crime against himself and society"- Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan

3. "The youth should be equipped with science and knowledge as they are the sole, constant, dominant weapons in this life,"- Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum

4. "We are confident in the role of the UAE's ambitious youth, and we believe in their abilities to create the country's present and future. We always aim to qualify, motivate and empower them to take the nation's flag and carry it to our supreme glory."- Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan

5. "You are the real wealth, not the 3 million barrels of oil. You are the future of this nation's security and safety net. We are in a good condition now, but we want to establish the vision for 50 years ahead," Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan

6. "I am certain from what I have witnessed from my simple interaction with bright minds and hopeful optimistic faces that we are betting on the right people and the right generation for the future of the UAE." Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan

7. The youth of the UAE are the fuel for our uprising. The youth are the guarantee of our future, the protector of our home. He who holds them close is the winner," Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.

8. "The youth are the true wealth of the nation," he said. "Nations do not grow in stature by wishes, but by hard-won achievements." Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan

9. "We steadfastly support our youth and will empower them to achieve the highest levels of innovation and creativity in all fields." Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum

10. "The youth of the UAE inspire us more each day through their continued success in all fields," Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan

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